Did anyone get a Windows 10 invite?

[Random_Spock]

You've got until June to get Windows 10 for free. After that the upgrade will cost $120.

I just found out that the date is in July, thanks to a member on another forum I'm on.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/upgrade-to-windows-10-faq

What is the free upgrade to Windows 10?
Microsoft is making Windows 10 available as a free upgrade for compatible devices that are running genuine Windows 7 Service Pack 1 or Windows 8.1 Update.

The free upgrade is a full version of Windows (not a trial or introductory version) and is available until July 29, 2016. Once you upgrade, you’ll have Windows 10 for free on that device.

 

[Amaris]

Which is also why I'm trying to hurry and save up to build my new PC before July gets here. My current PC is older than dirt, and Windows 10 works great on it, but the hardware itself is starting to give out all over the place. When I get parts for a new PC, I'm often given a copy of Windows 7 or 8 to go with it, but if I build it after July 29th, I won't get the free upgrade.

 

[sojourner]

CPU wise, my PC is holding up pretty well. It's the videocard that seems to be falling behind spec wise on games. I am also planning on changing out my raid of physical hard drives for single SSD once the price gets right to at least get the same storage capacity as I have now. (I saw a 750 something gig SSD for less than $200 recently, prices are dropping fast now.)

 

[Random_Spock]

CPU wise, my PC is holding up pretty well. It's the videocard that seems to be falling behind spec wise on games. I am also planning on changing out my raid of physical hard drives for single SSD once the price gets right to at least get the same storage capacity as I have now. (I saw a 750 something gig SSD for less than $200 recently, prices are dropping fast now.)

Yea mine's doing ok too, but memory wise... space is running a bit low . So onto backing it up and then moving some pics and stuff onto Photobucket to free up some room.

Which is also why I'm trying to hurry and save up to build my new PC before July gets here. My current PC is older than dirt, and Windows 10 works great on it, but the hardware itself is starting to give out all over the place. When I get parts for a new PC, I'm often given a copy of Windows 7 or 8 to go with it, but if I build it after July 29th, I won't get the free upgrade.

How old is it?

Got mine around 2012 (iirc), so laptop wise it's around 5 years old. Hoping it'll hold out for some time.

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

Well, not having a machine-specific key does allow for using the same software on multiple setups though.

Not if the software generates its own key specific to the machine installed, and any attempts to install on other machines generate an error or it locks up.

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

I am about to try an SSD for the very first time next week.

Can you move folders like "program files" and "program files x86" to another drive if you think you might need more space?

 

[DonIago]

If you mean for applications that you've already installed previously, I don't believe so.

That said, for years I've kept applications and such on a drive other than my Windows drive; I figured (somewhat correctly) that that way if I had a drive failure at least I wouldn't quite lose everything at the same time.

 

[John Clark]

Have you had programs uninstall with it? I've heard of people running into that issue.

Had one or two that were taken off by Win10 (or one of it's updates). Spybot was a definate one, though one of the later updates did TOR as well. I didn't have AMDs Catalyst Centre uninstalled, but rumours say that's one of the ones it can happen to.

Overall, I'm reasonably content with 10 though.

 

[Random_Spock]

Had one or two that were taken off by Win10 (or one of it's updates). Spybot was a definate one, though one of the later updates did TOR as well. I didn't have AMDs Catalyst Centre uninstalled, but rumours say that's one of the ones it can happen to.

Overall, I'm reasonably content with 10 though.

That's frustrating. I like Spybot. Were you able to reinstall it ok?

 

[John Clark]

That's frustrating. I like Spybot. Were you able to reinstall it ok?

Yeah, I think spybot issued a fix for it (though if I recall, I just reinstalled it off the old version again). It still works fine.

 

[Random_Spock]

Yeah, I think spybot issued a fix for it (though if I recall, I just reinstalled it off the old version again). It still works fine.

Cool that's good.

Wonder why Windows 10 is doing that kind of thing? Shouldn't we the end user have the right to choose what's on our computers?

 

[Amaris]

Cool that's good.

Wonder why Windows 10 is doing that kind of thing? Shouldn't we the end user have the right to choose what's on our computers?

I'd say it's just the devs at Microsoft trying to make everything as compatible as possible. Programs like Spybot search the nooks and crannies of the Windows OS for things that shouldn't be there, and it likely uses a detection matrix that inadvertently futzes around with Microsoft's own data collection protocols.

So less malicious or insidious intent, and more "complex plumbing makes it easier to stop up the drain."

 

[Random_Spock]

I'd say it's just the devs at Microsoft trying to make everything as compatible as possible. Programs like Spybot search the nooks and crannies of the Windows OS for things that shouldn't be there, and it likely uses a detection matrix that inadvertently futzes around with Microsoft's own data collection protocols.

So less malicious or insidious intent, and more "complex plumbing makes it easier to stop up the drain."

Ah I see. Well... Spybot hasn't done anything like that on my end yet. Only thing I've had to do is just run it on its own since it makes my laptop run a bit warmer than normal.

 

[Amaris]

Ah I see. Well... Spybot hasn't done anything like that on my end yet. Only thing I've had to do is just run it on its own since it makes my laptop run a bit warmer than normal.

I used to love Spybot S&D. Then around 4 or 5 years ago, the whole program just fell apart on me. It was slow, it missed obvious infections, and it was resource intensive. That's when I switched to MalwareBytes Anti-Malware, and just use CCleaner to keep it all clean.

 

[Random_Spock]

I used to love Spybot S&D. Then around 4 or 5 years ago, the whole program just fell apart on me. It was slow, it missed obvious infections, and it was resource intensive. That's when I switched to MalwareBytes Anti-Malware, and just use CCleaner to keep it all clean.

Ah. I use them both. Better than nothing. Heard about CCleaner before.

Sometimes I use ADWcleaner too just in case something gets missed.

Avast does a pretty good job, but even that misses stuff. I even use Windows Defender to scan.

Might as well cover as many bases as possible.

 

[Amaris]

Ah. I use them both. Better than nothing. Heard about CCleaner before.

Sometimes I use ADWcleaner too just in case something gets missed.

Avast does a pretty good job, but even that misses stuff. I even use Windows Defender to scan.

Might as well cover as many bases as possible.

Try not to run too many, though. The more watchdogs you have, the easier it is to crash your system, and something can get through anyway.
For me, the best combination is 1 Malware Remover + 1 Antivirus + 1 Cleaner, and a plug-in or two. As I mentioned, I use this:

Windows 10 Defender (Free, of course)
CCleaner (Free version)
MalwareBytes Anti-Malware (Free version)
MalwareBytes Hijack This! Plugin for Chrome and Firefox. (Free)

All free. No infections. 9 year old system runs like a Swiss watch. The best part, though, is when I encounter one of those Ransomware sites that tries to take over my browser, and I just click away like it's nothing because it can't get a grip on it thanks to MBAM.

 

[Random_Spock]

Try not to run too many, though. The more watchdogs you have, the easier it is to crash your system, and something can get through anyway.
For me, the best combination is 1 Malware Remover + 1 Antivirus + 1 Cleaner, and a plug-in or two. As I mentioned, I use this:

Windows 10 Defender (Free, of course)
CCleaner (Free version)
MalwareBytes Anti-Malware (Free version)
MalwareBytes Hijack This! Plugin for Chrome and Firefox. (Free)

All free. No infections. 9 year old system runs like a Swiss watch. The best part, though, is when I encounter one of those Ransomware sites that tries to take over my browser, and I just click away like it's nothing because it can't get a grip on it thanks to MBAM.

Yea, only one at a time.

Nice.

I just use:

Avast Free
Malwarebytes free
Spybot S&D free
Windows Defender

mainly


Occasionally:

ADWcleaner
HitmanPro
JRT (JunkWare Tool)

 

[sojourner]

Yeesh, what are you guys doing to need all that? If you want to visit sketchy websites and/or download risky stuff, just do what I do. Use something like Virtual Box and run a virtual linux machine. If it get infected I just shut it down and delete that virtual machine. Start up a new image and I'm good to go.

 

[Amaris]

Yeesh, what are you guys doing to need all that? If you want to visit sketchy websites and/or download risky stuff, just do what I do. Use something like Virtual Box and run a virtual linux machine. If it get infected I just shut it down and delete that virtual machine. Start up a new image and I'm good to go.

I don't notice any performance loss from it, and Windows 10 Defender runs by default when there's no other AV program running. I use CCleaner to delete old files, cookies, and junk files. MalwareBytes Anti-Malware catches the things Defender might miss, and the HijackThis! plug-in has saved my bacon numerous times.

Keep in mind that you can get malware and hijackers on perfectly legitimate sites, and malware has been passed to totally clean computers via the very same ad system Google uses. It pays to be cautious.

Plus, virtual machines are too much hassle just to browse the internet.

 

[Random_Spock]

I don't notice any performance loss from it, and Windows 10 Defender runs by default when there's no other AV program running. I use CCleaner to delete old files, cookies, and junk files. MalwareBytes Anti-Malware catches the things Defender might miss, and the HijackThis! plug-in has saved my bacon numerous times.

Keep in mind that you can get malware and hijackers on perfectly legitimate sites, and malware has been passed to totally clean computers via the very same ad system Google uses. It pays to be cautious.

Plus, virtual machines are too much hassle just to browse the internet.

Exactly. It never hurts to have a good safety net in place. And even then it's not perfect.

Avast has helped me in regards to spying bad ads/malware and spyware, Malwarebytes helps as well and so does Spybot.